Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, this epic version of the legendary western sheriff-gunslinger's life story stars Kevin Costner as Earp, who lived from 1848 to 1929. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Earp tries to run away to join the Union… MoreDirected by Lawrence Kasdan, this epic version of the legendary western sheriff-gunslinger's life story stars Kevin Costner as Earp, who lived from 1848 to 1929. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Earp tries to run away to join the Union Army in the Civil War, but he is turned away because of his youth. Instead, he studies law and marries Urilla Sutherland (Annabeth Gish). But Urilla dies of typhoid fever before they can have children. Earp grows despondent and descends into drinking and petty thievery, but his father Nicholas (Gene Hackman) finds him, sobers him up, and sets him straight. Earp becomes a buffalo hunter and a close companion of Bat Masterson (Tom Sizemore) and his brother Ed (Bill Pullman). With his brothers, Virgil (Michael Madsen) and Morgan (Linden Ashby), Earp sets out to clean up the violence-plagued towns of the old West -- by using his own guns to settle scores. Earp takes up with Mattie Blaylock (Mare Winningham), a drug addict and prostitute, then discards her for actress Josie Marcus (Joanna Going). In Tombstone, Arizona, the Earp brothers and their comrade Doc Holliday (Dennis Quaid), who is plagued by tuberculosis and a compulsion for gambling, meet their match in a ruthless gang led by Ike Clanton (Jeff Fahey). ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi

Though handsome to look at (cinematography is by Owen Roizman), the movie is overlong, stately, and too detailed for its own good; director Kasdan claims his version if more accurate, which may be true, but it doesn't make for a good picture.

Turgid and painfully poker-faced, though Dennis Quaid's Doc Holliday is as good as anyone's

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

A great Western that was unfairly disparaged back in 1994. The authentic Wyatt Earp is actually a much-better film than the pulpier, more-popular Tombstone.

Frank Ochieng

TheWorldJournal.com

Well-meaning western yarn starring Costner in the title role but it's too slow-moving and uneven to digest as anything riveting regarding the Wild West. Kasdan's Wyatt Earp definitely ends up shoots blanks

Clint Morris

Moviehole

"Tombstone" did it better, but

Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

Costner's still shouting, but it's hard to hear him from all the way back there in 1940.

After Kevin Costner's surprise hit "Dances with wolves" Hollywood considered him the king of Westerns. So it does not come as a surprise that him… MoreAfter Kevin Costner's surprise hit "Dances with wolves" Hollywood considered him the king of Westerns. So it does not come as a surprise that him and director Kasdan tried to tackle the story of one of the great legends of that era. Some of the (beautifully filmed) shots seem to come right out of Costner's own movie. But this film starts out with Earp's youth and takes its time getting to Dodge City, a sheriff star and Doc Holliday. The cast is excellent and full of great names, but Dennis Quaid (who hungered himself down for the Doc role) steals every scene he is in. Sadly, the film is overly long, it would have been a great 2.5 hours movie. As it is, there is still an interesting characterization of a man who became a legend without being a shiny, perfect hero. He is flawed and sometimes even unlikable, much like most of the other characters. But that gives the film a much more realistic feel than most others from the genre. It also helps that James Newton Howard wrote one of the best Western scores ever. If only the film was a tdad shorter.

Conner Rainwater

It's not an epic, but it sure wanted to be. Just because you can shoot over three hours of footage doesn't mean you should. I love westerns, but this… MoreIt's not an epic, but it sure wanted to be. Just because you can shoot over three hours of footage doesn't mean you should. I love westerns, but this isn't anything that the genre represents. There's really nothing interesting about the characters, the story or setting. It also has a cast that doesn't deliver performances up to par with their usual work and a director who isn't exactly known for his consistency. It's forgettable and completely unimportant.

Anthony Lawrie

I didn?t like it as much as Tombstone. I think, I get them mixed up! :o)

xGary Xx

Kevin Costner once again projects his own self-image of the all-American hero, this time portraying legendary frontier marshal Wyatt Earp. And as usual,… MoreKevin Costner once again projects his own self-image of the all-American hero, this time portraying legendary frontier marshal Wyatt Earp. And as usual, it's too self-important and FAR too bloody long. The first hour is especially tiresome, as the young Wyatt's life is a dreary combination of sentimentality and melodrama but things do pick up once his father bails him out of jail. Even then however, the underused supporting cast seem far more interesting than the stone faced and characterless Costner; even the plum role of Doc Holliday (played by Dennis Quaid who is clearly enjoying himself) feels little more weighty than a cameo. The aspect of male bonding does work well though, making it all the more obvious that the relationships between the Earps and their other halves rarely exceeds the level of soap opera; Costner's relationship with his second wife is marked by some particularly cornball dialogue. The main drawback for this project is the fact that this story has been told so often that it would take something truly spectacular to make it worth it, and not only is this not the best version, it's not even in the top 3; it lacks the elegance of My Darling Clementine, the grittiness of Tombstone and the good natured humour of Gunfight At The OK Corral, making it a decent but unremarkable addition to the genre.

Apeneck Fletcher

Kasdan and Costner's version is indeed less B movie than Tombstone, made a year earlier, and is long but still effective once you get past the… MoreKasdan and Costner's version is indeed less B movie than Tombstone, made a year earlier, and is long but still effective once you get past the self-importance. What stands out particularly is how nobility is reached for by less than noble characters, which is as good a way to recall the West as any.

Dean !

An epic western charting the life of Wyatt Earp. Very long at over 3 hours and the first hour is a bit slow. It has a good cast and production and finally the… MoreAn epic western charting the life of Wyatt Earp. Very long at over 3 hours and the first hour is a bit slow. It has a good cast and production and finally the action towards the end is pretty good. However if you have seen Tombstone the ending is very similar but I felt that was a slightly better movie. If you're not keen on westerns go for Tombstone instead.

Al S

An astonishing masterwork by Director, Lawereance Kasdan. A beautiful film in atmosphere and scope. We have returned to the freedom westerns were meant to have.… MoreAn astonishing masterwork by Director, Lawereance Kasdan. A beautiful film in atmosphere and scope. We have returned to the freedom westerns were meant to have. A romantic, thrilling and action-packed epic. Dazzeling and outstanding. Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid are absolutely magnificent. Costner is riveting. Quaid is wickedly funny, deeply effectionate and wonderfully brilliant, one of the best performances of his career. A remarkable, dark, tremendous and outstanding western achivement.

Stephen M

For a decade or so, from the late-'80s to late-'90s, cardboard Kev Costner was Hollywood's everyman of choice, before a series of increasingly… MoreFor a decade or so, from the late-'80s to late-'90s, cardboard Kev Costner was Hollywood's everyman of choice, before a series of increasingly elephantine projects associated him in the public consciousness with an aching backside and a struggle to stay awake, allowing Tom Hanks to usurp his throne. "Wyatt Earp" is a marvellous film with a majestic sweep, but it marked the beginning of the end of Costner's popularity and, before long, "Waterworld" and "The Postman" would topple him off the A-list for good. What separates this film from the legion of other retellings of Earp's story is, not so much its greater claim to historical accuracy as its portrayal of the typically goody-goody Earp, as a deeply flawed individual whom it was almost impossible to like. There's genuine darkness here but, unfortunately, Costner hasn't quite got the acting ability to nail it. The rest of the cast is great but a skeletal Dennis Quaid walks away with the movie as Doc Holiday, his performance infinitely preferable to Val Kilmer's self-consciously showy turn in "Tombstone", which was an enthusiastic B-movie but nothing more. Excepting some bluish day-for-night that I don't much care for, the film looks terrific, too.

Mike S

Pretty good Western, even if it seems to go on forever and bears some great flaws in the script. But first, let me start with what I liked about the film. For… MorePretty good Western, even if it seems to go on forever and bears some great flaws in the script. But first, let me start with what I liked about the film. For as far as the scenery, cinematography and music score goes, this was like delving into a really lush and beautiful painting. I love the atmosphere of the film, whether it's the prairies roamed by great Buffalo herds, or the smokey and vibrant air of the anything-can-happen saloons. But where the eyes are treated royally, the brain regrettably, is not. An example of that is the inconsistencies found in the presentation of our main character, Wyatt Earp. I wanted to sympathize with him, I really did, but when he goes from a goody-two-shoes gentleman to a raging alcoholic who takes out his anger on helpful strangers, I couldn't care less if he bettered himself along the way. It's one of those rare and unfortunate cases when a single scene nearly ruins the entire film. I wasn't very fond of the way Doc Holiday was written either. <i>Tombstone</i> did a much better job with these legends of the West, and made me care about them in way shorter of a running time. All in all though, I quite enjoyed it for what it was. It won't get a place among my all-time favourite Western films, but it was worth the 3 hours I spent within its world. In great need of some editing and a little overly bombastic, though I still thought it was a tad better than the ratings had me expect.

Tim Salmons

Fantastic western from Costner, Kasdan and Co.

Jason Spencer

First off, this is a huge cast of folks that brought this movie together. There were so many "name" actors I had trouble keeping track of them all.
I… MoreFirst off, this is a huge cast of folks that brought this movie together. There were so many "name" actors I had trouble keeping track of them all.
I thought the pacing of the flick was well done considering the amount of story they had to cover. There were so many important characters that needed to be integrated into the main story that it took some doing to involve them all on a level where you cared if they lived or died.
Costner did a good job with the character given that after his life falls apart he becomes an unlikeable guy.
All in all I thought it was a good weekend movie to watch when you really had nothing else to do which is why I viewed this movie.
Now I have to go rent Tombstone and see that for comparison.

Lafe Fredbjornson

Lengthy and rich historical telling of the Wyatte Earp legend with Kevin Costner. It's more drama than action. There's not much fun or excitement. The… MoreLengthy and rich historical telling of the Wyatte Earp legend with Kevin Costner. It's more drama than action. There's not much fun or excitement. The gunfights are grizzly, and so are some of the characters. Solid effort by Kevin Costner; better than that Tombstone-thing.